Something Just Like This Episode 45 Recap
> Something Just Like This Recap
Qian Xixi and Zhang Jiayun spent their last night at the Rui office, feeling a deep reluctance to leave behind the company that held so many memories of their entrepreneurial journey. They reminisced about all the fun, memorable, exciting, and moving moments they had shared there. They even had the same idea, each preparing a camera as a gift for the other—the very camera they had both longed for upon graduating from college.
The following morning, they were in a rush, almost missing their flight, but thankfully, they had brought their luggage to the office the night before. Meanwhile, Duan Ran found a perfume shop at QE Mall impressive for its in-store live streaming, where staff demonstrated product creation and answered customer questions directly. This reminded him of their pioneering live stream on the boat in Sanya.
He enthusiastically shared his idea of integrating physical stores with live streaming e-commerce with Chen Lang, who agreed it was a fitting venture for Duan Ran, given his vision and resources. During their conversation, Chen Lang also brought up Qian Xixi's earlier confession of feeling unworthy, lamenting that he couldn't let Xixi be so self-deprecating. Then Chen Lang casually mentioned that Qian Xixi and Zhang Jiayun were flying out together that day, a fact Duan Ran was completely unaware of.
Realizing the urgency, Duan Ran, already distressed by Qian Xixi's earlier confession, borrowed Chen Lang's car and sped to the airport. Along the way, he frantically sent Qian Xixi a series of WeChat voice messages, urging her to stay and emphasizing that his innovative ideas could not be realized without her. Upon arrival, he desperately searched for her, but he couldn't find her before getting a parking ticket.
Just as despair washed over him, Qian Xixi appeared behind him, clarifying that she was only there to see Zhang Jiayun off. She had seen Duan Ran's messages and was deeply moved by his anxious, tearful state. Realizing she couldn't leave him either, Qian Xixi ran into his arms. Three months later, Duan Ran and Qian Xixi had successfully established Cloud Live, reaching out to everyday people such as fishermen, fruit growers, and farmers, empowering them to become streamers.
This initiative not only provided a platform for individuals to sell their products but also helped entire villages with sales, quickly gaining popularity. Meanwhile, Mr. Shen and his son, Shen Ding Ding, at Rui Live, were planning a grand "QE Night" event. Shen Ding Ding told his father that the event aimed to demonstrate that online shopping had rendered physical stores unnecessary, which would bolster Mr. Shen’s proposal to redevelop the QE mall for board approval.
Mr. Shen cautioned him to meticulously check the event schedule and be prepared for an approaching typhoon. Separately, Chen Lang met with Mr. Wu, who presented him with the challenge of handling a large quantity of surplus stock from the Apparel Alliance. Chen Lang considered selling them at a discount or as goody bags, but Mr. Wu explained this would devalue the brands.
Instead, he suggested Chen Lang become an "online Don Quijote," referring to the renowned Japanese discount retailer known for maximizing the potential of surplus goods and managing complex supply chains. Later, during a phone conversation with Duan Ran, Chen Lang, after much thought, decided to create an online excess goods sales chain, focusing on "big data live streaming" with highly refined content, tailored to specific products and customer demographics.
He joked with Duan Ran about his new-found online shopping habits, filling his cart with cheap household items and even an imported yellow peach, a stark contrast to his usual preferences. Duan Ran's mother called, inquiring about his work. Qian Xixi, sitting beside him, held her breath, as they had been keeping their relationship a secret to avoid upsetting her. Duan Ran reaffirmed his promise not to marry before achieving career success.
Later, Duan Ran confided in Qian Xixi that his mother was struggling with severe insomnia and stress, prompting her to see a psychologist. Qian Xixi worried about the consequences if his mother discovered their deception. Duan Ran planned to tell his mother the truth when the time was right. His mother, Ms. Zhou, spoke to her psychologist, blaming herself for a past accident and expressing her inability to stop Duan Ran and Qian Xixi from being together, despite their promises.
The psychologist suggested that Ms. Zhou was not genuinely trying to separate them but was trapped in self-blame, inadvertently punishing the young couple. Qian Xixi, reviewing Cloud Live’s progress and Chen Lang’s annual return report, realized that their current small-scale operations would hinder growth.
She proposed partnering with a larger platform, specifically QE, arguing that success with QE was crucial to regain the dignity they had lost to Mr. Shen and Shen Ding Ding, reminding Duan Ran that business demanded rationality over emotion. Yu Shi, who had secretly been helping Qian Xixi, was caught by Shen Ding Ding while sending Cloud Live the QE Night event schedule.
Despite Shen Ding Ding's accusations of treachery and threats of legal action, Yu Shi calmly admitted to sharing the widely distributed schedule but refused to disclose Cloud Live's intentions, stating he was not motivated by money. Shen Ding Ding, enraged, fired Yu Shi. However, Su Su and Mr. Five stepped in, arguing that as a senior QE employee with Rui stock, Yu Shi could only be fired with board approval.
Shen Ding Ding questioned their loyalty, particularly Su Su's, given her past relationship with Yu Shi, but Su Su asserted her personal life was irrelevant. Mr. Five added that without Yu Shi, Rui's finance department would be unmanaged. Shen Ding Ding, accusing them all of rebellion, declared he was aware of Su Su secretly writing programs for Duan Ran and Mr. Five openly watching Cloud Live streams.
He then fired Su Su and Mr. Five as well, dismissing their value by claiming he could easily hire better designers with Rui's money, even when one employee pointed out Mr. Five was the lead designer for Rui's own brand, Vine. Qian Xixi felt guilty for their dismissals, but Duan Ran celebrated their collective unemployment, raising a toast to their new journey.
Yu Shi, Su Su, and Mr. Five expressed no regrets, stating that Rui was no longer the same without Qian Xixi. They were excited to join Cloud Live and collectively build a brighter future. During a board meeting, the members expressed concern about Jiang Zheyang's unavailability and the cancellation of Rui's own brand launch, which left a 40-minute void in the QE Night schedule. Mr. Shen confidently assured them that Rui Live, with its years of experience, was making emergency adjustments to the show.
